New scandal brewing? Makuuchi dice gambling and bomb threat!

[Kintamayama 45,081]

At today's rijikai and toshiyori kai, Mr. Norio Munakata, the external riji said he has received an anonymous tip that Makuuchi rikishi have been gambling on dice. He is also on the board of the special Crisis Committee in charge of dealing with scandals. "In January, I received an anonymous letter charging that a few Makuuchi rikishi are gambling on dice," he said. He added that he doesn't believe that this is true and a further investigation will be held. (I personally think someone called to say a few Makuuchi rikishi went to see "Holiday on Ice", but maybe not..)

All gambling (except on horse and dog races and on the number of my nose-hairs) is illegal in Japan. It is a big thing there, although to some (most?) of us it it may seem trivial.

Then, Mr. Munakata went on to say that on February 8th, another external riji, Mr.Tokugawa , received a threatening phone call saying that if he votes for anyone other than Hakkaku Oyakata for rijicho he will be murdered .

This was immediately reported to the police. "You have to understand the implications, as Mr. Tokugawa is in charge of the elections.." added Mr. Munakata. "This is bothersome. I am entrusting this to the police.." said Hakkaku.

Edited March 11, 2016 by Kintamayama

[Akinomaki 40,328]

So either Hakkaku has good right wing connections or someone wants to create the impression that he has.

a phone threat by a self-proclaimed uyoku member (right wing extremists/criminals) to the Yasukuni shrine (a favorite place for uyoku), where external riji Tokugawa is chief priest, that he (Tokugawa) will get killed if he votes for Takanohana and not Hakkaku.

http://mainichi.jp/articles/20160312/k00/00m/050/031000c.html

[Masumasumasu 902]

I love Yasukuni. It's my favorite place in Tokyo.

[Akinomaki 40,328]

a phone threat

to the Yasukuni shrine, where external riji Tokugawa is chief priest, that he (Tokugawa) will get killed if he votes for Takanohana and not Hakkaku.

A detail about the phone call: the caller as the reason he'd kill Tokugawa said that he is betting on Hakkaku for riji-cho. The call is on tape. http://www.daily.co.jp/general/2016/03/12/0008883654.shtml Edited March 12, 2016 by Akinomaki

[Orion 431]

a phone threat

to the Yasukuni shrine, where external riji Tokugawa is chief priest, that he (Tokugawa) will get killed if he votes for Takanohana and not Hakkaku.

A detail about the phone call: the caller as the reason he'd kill Tokugawa said that he is betting on Hakkaku for riji-cho. The call is on tape. http://www.daily.co.jp/general/2016/03/12/0008883654.shtml

Fishy, fishy, fishy

Orion, rather overburdened and picking up occasional points of interest

[Naganoyama 5,894]

So, does that mean that the Kyokai can still not manage a proper secret ballot?

[WAKATAKE 2,655]

All gambling (except on horse and dog races and on the number of my nose-hairs) is illegal in Japan. It is a big thing there, although to some (most?) of us it it may seem trivial.

People love gambling over here but the problem there sure isn't any regulations. NPB has recently been going through scandals where current baseball players have been caught betting on games. You go to any mahjong parlor and there will be somebody doing under the table betting. That's just the way of things. You forget though there is the Japanese lottery, which is in my opinion the biggest form of legalized gambling in Japan.

[ALAKTORN 346]

Makes me even sadder Kitanoumi passed. Not liking Hakkaku so far.

[Akinomaki 40,328]

The present "gambling scandal" is to be ignored, decided crisis committee top Munakata - the rikishi simply played with dice, betting without money exchange - therefore it was no gambling. http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2016/03/20/kiji/K20160320012249290.html

Edited March 22, 2016 by Akinomaki

[Ryoshishokunin 282]

<blockquote>People love gambling over here but the problem there sure isn't any regulations.</blockquote>

That's because it's illegal. This is one of many problems with looking-the-other-way being the policy used with respect to a law: you can't very well pass regulations about something that is illegal, now, can you? (In practice, some things are regulated on the down-low, in the same way that recreational amounts of drugs are in parts of north america, but yeah.)

[Benevolance 2,501]

Maybe what Wakatake was getting at was that there isn't consistent enforcement, as opposed to regulations.

[WAKATAKE 2,655]

Maybe what Wakatake was getting at was that there isn't consistent enforcement, as opposed to regulations.

More or less yes, thanks for clarifying my point.

[Mukonoso 273]

It'll turn out later on that the whole dice thing was just some rikishi playing Dungeons & Dragons. The informant was just mad that his dwarf assassin rolled a 1 and died of food poisoning at the inn.

[orandashoho 720]

(I am going off-topic...) I saw a guy i the U-Bahn yesterday with the same AD&D Handbook I got in my spare room bookcase. That brought back some fond memories and a smile.